Hydrogen addition effect on laminar burning velocity, flame temperature and flame stability of a planar and a curved CH4-H2-air premixed flame

The effects of hydrogen fraction on laminar burning velocity, flame stability (Markstein number) and flame temperature of methane-hydrogen-air flame at global equivalence ratios of 0.7, 1.0 and 1.2 have been investigated numerically based on the full chemistry and the detailed molecular species transport. The effect of stretch rate on combustion characteristics is examined using an opposed-flow planar flame model, while the effect of flame curvature is identified by comparing a tubular flame to the opposed-flow planar flame. The difference in response on hydrogen fraction between the planar and curved flames has been observed. The results show when hydrogen fraction increases, the flame temperature and laminar burning velocity increases, and this effect is more significant at a large stretch rate; while Markstein length decreases. At a fixed stretch rate of 400 s(-1), under which the flame approaches extinction limit, the flame temperature of the tubular flame is considerably higher than that of the planar opposed flow flame, which results most likely from the contribution of the positive flame curvature to the first Damkohler number. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.